Wathens available again!

Hello there, bourbon brethren. I noticed that Wathens is available again after a fairly long stretch where it was off the market. Anyone had a chance to try this new bottling, know anything about it? And most importantly... is it as good as the previous batch?

Re: Wathens available again!

I have seen two 2004 batches -- one at Christmastime dated July, and another en route to the Sampler dated October.
I have a couple of '97s on my shelf along with a 2003 (none currently open), and the latter is much darker -- which makes me wonder if each successive batch is older (anybody know whether Mr. Medley has put his stock in stainless, or is it still in barrels?).

Re: Wathens available again!

(anybody know whether Mr. Medley has put his stock in stainless, or is it still in barrels?).

While we are asking questions, and possibly one who knows the answer to that one might know the answer to this, What happened to the 100 or so barrels of Mellow Mash that Buddy Thompson kept for himself as he disposed of Glenmore, that was about 20 years old a few years back?

and the latter is much darker --

I must get a bottle of that open and soon, Wathens as it was, was a favorite of mine and the possibility of more age, particuliarly if a subsequent improvement is involved, might make a fertile field of bourbon to be gleaned.........

Such colorful language, Damn, it won't get me BOTY........ wait a minute , I already was......

Re: Wathens available again!

rigorous testing and evaluation of at least one bottle by an esteemed panel in an appropriate multi-sided and covered exterior venue.

as Chuck put it?

Because that sounds like a good idea to me.

By the way, this bourbon is rich, thick, and smooth. Yowza it's good. I haven't had earlier bottlings of this brand, but I doubt what I got is a young source filling in for the product of a few years back about which I've been reading.

Re: Wathens available again!

During the Sampler I purchased a bottle ( barrel 202; 10/06/04 ). Also have one from a few years ago ( barrel 108; 05/21/01 ). Both are very similar in color. Neither are opened but September is fast approaching.

Re: Wathens available again!

I currently have bottles from Barrel 10 (3/27/1997) -- this is the bottling the Regans use in "The Bourbon Companion" tasting -- and 146 (2/7/2003). The others I've seen around are from 140-ish barrels, too. So, we seems to have some gaps covered, and others to fill.